Barcelona blends vibrant energy with Catalan tradition: explore the Gothic Quarter and Gaudí's architecture, enjoy tapas and cava in plazas and cafés, relax at the beach, shop along Passeig de Gràcia, and end the night in bohemian bars on La Rambla. A stylish city full of character.

Porto Cervo, the sleek capital of Costa Smeralda, blends ruggedly beautiful coastline, emerald coves, yachts, villas, and powder-white beaches. Enjoy beach clubs, take a boat to Maddalena Island's blue-green waters, see and be seen in Piazzetta, visit Stella Maris cathedral, stop by Poltu Quatu, and explore the Stone Age "Giants' Graves."

Ajaccio, Corsica's capital, is a 16th-century citadel on the island's west coast, its name possibly from Ajax or adjaccium ("place to rest"). Napoleon's birthplace, it's worth exploring the old town for Maison Bonaparte, the Baroque cathedral where he was baptised, lively markets for local wine, olive oil, chestnuts and cheese, and the white sands of the Bay of Ajaccio, with views to the Genoese tower at Parata and the Sanguinaire islands.

Step into the sultry sophistication of the French Riviera, where Bardot glamour, Mediterranean sun, movie stars, superyachts, and chic cocktail bars define the scene. Then slip beyond the jet set to breathtaking landscapes, verdant hillsides, and the finest fresh local produce. After all the decadence and glamour of the Côte d'Azur, the journey continues to somewhere a little calmer.

Tucked on the Italian coast, Portofino is a jet-set haven of noble summer homes, luxury boutiques, pastel harbor buildings, and olive-covered slopes. Nearby, Museo del Parco leads to Chiesa di San Giorgio, with views toward Etruscan villas and Ligurian lighthouses. An hour away, Cinque Terre's five pastel hamlets cling to rocky Mediterranean promontories.

Discover Florence, Tuscany's capital of culture and home of Michelangelo. Explore Renaissance masterpieces at the Uffizi, visit the terracotta-tiled Duomo, and wander the serene Boboli Gardens. At sunset, cross the Ponte Vecchio and savor a refined Tuscan red while reflecting on the Medici legacy.

Rome is more than ancient architecture: it offers hidden gems, fashion, street art, Vespa rides to the Appian Way, and coins tossed into fountains. Visit the Vatican's Sistine Chapel and private quarters by appointment, plus the Colosseum, Caravaggio churches, the Spanish Steps, and the Pantheon. Make pasta, hunt truffles, enjoy gelato and coffee, or unwind in a 3,000-year-old pool. In Rome, old and new blend so you can indulge in it all.